Load carrying apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus for transporting a load by a vehicle having lifting forks reduced in length to combine with a rectangular pallet having side and end edges. The pallet has transversely extending floor boards and longitudinally extending stringers separated by spacer blocks with a deck of transversely extending boards mounted on the stringers. The assembly provides transverse channels into which the forks can be entered from either side edge to pick up the loaded pallet, and also provides longitudinal channels for receiving the forks entered from either end edge. By reducing the effective length of standard forks, the outer ends of the forks are prevented from the projecting from the remote side edge of the pallet when the forks are fully entered into the transverse channels. The length of the pallet plus the arrangement of the floor boards place the outer ends of the lifting forks clear of the outermost floor board when the forks are fully entered into the longitudinal channels. For a vehicle with standard lifting forks fitted with wheels, the forks are shortened to the required length and the wheels are shifted to a position locating the foremost edge of the wheels close to the overhanging outer ends of the forks and the wheels are positioned between floor boards when the forks are fully entered into the longitudinal channels. A framework is attachable to a vehicle fitted with lifting forks of standard length to obtain the same result as removing a portion of the forks to reduce the effective length.

I claim: 
     
       1. A load carrying apparatus for a vehicle equipped with lifting forks projecting horizontally forward from a vertical abutment and having floor-contacting wheels near the outer ends of the lifting forks, said lifting forks being modified to provide a reduced effective length measured from the vertical abutment to outer ends of the forks and to place the foremost edge of the wheels in close proximity to but not projecting beyond the outer ends of the forks, in combination therewith a pallet comprising a rectangular base frame and a deck providing the pallet with side edges and end edges, said side edges being longer than said end edges, said side edges being spaced apart a distance not greater than the effective length of the lifting forks, said base frame having floor contacting members extending parallel to one another from side edge to side edge one at each end edge and another at the center of the base frame, spacer members longitudinally spaced along each floor-contacting member one at each side edge and another at the center of the base frame, longitudinal members mounted upon the spacer members to extend from end edge to end edge one at each side edge and another at the center of the base frame, said deck being constructed of a plurality of deck members extending from side edge to side edge normal to and resting on the longitudinal members, said base frame and deck defining a pair of transverse channels enterable by the lifting forks from either side edge of the platform whereby the forks are raisable into engagement with the undersides of the longitudinal members, and also defining a pair of longitudinal channels enterable by the lifting forks from either end edge of the pallet whereby the forks are raisable into engagement with the undersides of the deck members, the effective length of the lifting forks being no greater than the side edge to side edge width of the pallet so that when the lifting forks are fully entered into the pair of transverse channels, one side edge is in contact with the vertical abutment of the vehicle and the outer ends of the lifting forks are located within the other side edge of the pallet, said lifting forks having upper surfaces which engage the undersides of said three longitudinal members when the lifting forks are in the transverse channels and which entire upper surfaces engage the underside of said deck when the lift forks are in the longitudinal channels, said longitudinal channels being longer than the effective length of the lifting forks. 
     
     
       2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said floor -contacting members are shaped within the pair of longitudinal channels to be readily transversed by the floor contacting wheels of the lifting forks when the forks are entering and leaving the channels. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said pair of transverse channels are spaced apart a distance locating the outer ends of the forks and the floor-contacting wheels within an outermost portion of the transverse channel when the inner side edge of the pallet is in contact with the vertical abutment on the vehicle. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, and including a load steadying framework, mounting means for securing the framework to the vehicle in a position perpendicular to the lifting forks and spaced a selected distance from the vertical abutment whereby the effective length of the forks is not greater than the overall width of the pallet.